In line with the Project on Skills Training and Job Obtainment Support for Social Participation of Ex-Combatants and Other People with Disabilities (ECOPD), the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) in Collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the National Council of persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and Rwanda Cooperative Agency(RCA) are conducting the business training workshop and Cooperatives management courses, to raise and build skills of trainees following vocational training aiming to prepare trainees the future career and job obtainment after graduation. The one day business training session has been organized from 05th June to 13th June 2013 and the cooperative workshop was organized from 17th July to 03rd July 2013 in 5 Vocational training centers such as VTC Rwabuye, VTC Nyanza, ETEFOP Musanze, VTC Gisenyi and VTC Rubengera.
Speaking at the occasion, Emmanuel MURERA, the NCPD Training and Skills Development Officer said that it is a good occasion to build capacities of persons with disabilities through vocational trainings. The completion of skills training by business workshop and cooperative management is a good channel of job obtainment and the sustainable social economic development of persons with disabilities, within this way PWDs can themselves strive for self-reliance. Skills training of short time (6 months) with more practices supported by starter kits will improve and result lives transformation. It is in this framework that after the training, participants will get a self-employment, most of them become Entrepreneurs concluded the Training and Skills development Officer.
At Rwabuye VTC, where the workshop began, 60 Persons are trained, respectively 60 (Including 10 deafs) supported by ECOPD and 40 of RDRC in VTC Nyanza, 80 in ETEFOP Musanze,60 trainees in VTC Gisenyi and 40 in Rubengera VTC.
The participants have been aware and appreciated the following opportunities in promoting their business and job creation: The source and Idea of business; how promoting 4 P: Product, Price, Place and promotion; present opportunities and facilities in business in Rwanda such as: Hanga Umurimo Program, BDF(Business Development Fund), BDS (Business Development Services), PROBA(Proximity business Advisory) , Institutions of micro finance and banks.
About cooperative management, participants are trained on the requirements of RCA to the cooperative to have an accreditation; Manual of rules,regulations and statutes of cooperatives; accountability of cooperatives; how to fulfill all accountancy documents; kinds of accounts and how to create cooperatives.
At the end of the training participants received a cooperative form that should be used by trainees to create their own cooperatives. The business training workshop was facilitated by the District agents in charge of promoting trade and cooperatives respectively where the training center are located. The management workshop in all VTCs is animated by BIMENYIMANA Audace, the officer from Rwanda Cooperative Agency in charge of training and capacity building.
A success story program shall be organized in July 2013 and trainees are encouraged to start thinking about joining cooperatives and start their business after graduation in November 2013.
Note that this business program is a completion of skills in the following vocational subjects: tailoring, masonry, electricity, knitting, welding, carpentry, auto-mechanic, plumbing or cooking.
This is the 7th group and 2 525 persons have benefited from such opportunity.
Reported by MURERA Emmanuel
Training and skills Development Officer/NCPD